Abigail Elizabeth Reynolds, War Correspondent, New York World
January 19, 1864
BROOKSVILLE, FLORIDA
Early on the morning of January 16, a column of Federal soldiers marched into this small southern community in order to rid the population of any Confederate defenders. At first it appeared that the small band of 150 Confederates under the command of Lt Col Robert Neipert, CSA, were of no match to the vast and seemingly endless number of Union soldiers quickly moving into the region.
Col. Neipert however was able to send immediate word to General Michael Hardy, CSA to seek reinforcements. General Hardy responded without delay and straight away sent over 1000 Confederates into the foray to confront the nearly 2000 Union troops. By late Friday, January 16, the Confederates were well reinforced and ready to engage the Union threat.
Early on the morning of January 17, lines had been clearly drawn between Confederate and Union. An attack was launched by the Union and the Confederates instantaneously found themselves in the defensive position. Several times the lines broke and the Confederates had to pull back and regroup.
Around noon there seemed to be a brief ceasefire while the Union soldiers regained their footing and rations were delivered. The Confederates took advantage of this situation to regroup and organize their lines once again.
Fighting again broke out around two in the afternoon. This time the Confederate lines held and began the hard task of driving the Union back. The Union thus began a slow retreat and the Union Colonel in command had to order the withdrawal of his men back to the other side of the town.
By four thirty in the afternoon the guns were once again silenced. The Union had regrouped on the far side of town entrenching at this point as best as possible. The Confederate Army once again occupied the town itself. Aside from a few small skirmishes around the perimeter of the community, both Armies took their leave of the field of battle to attend to the care of their men and prepare for another day.
As the evening wore on, both Armies quickly recovered as much equipment and rations as possible. The men were told to rest as much as possible in the hours ahead ready for the next day’s engagements, which were surely to come. Neither Army seemed prepared or ready to make an offer of peace, withdraw or surrender.
As the night faded away into the morning light, the sight and smells of a camp ready for action was clearly seen. The sounds of troop movements, both on horse back and on foot were heard from both the Union and the Confederate camps. Cannon rumbling in the distance were clear. There was no doubt by man or beast that action would be seen this day. As the Sunday morning broke calm, clear and crisp, the men of both Armies were clearly on the move with the intent of not gathering for worship this day, but instead of sending one another to meet their maker in person.
Yesterday saw the casualties’ small in numbers in comparison to previous battles observed by this correspondent, but there was a smell and electricity in the air this day that gave one the sense that more blood than any would desire would be spilled on the battle field.
Shortly after noon, the first cannons could be heard lofting their deadly fire into the Union lines from the Confederate stronghold just to the west of town. The Union advanced at first seemed slow, almost nonexistent, but then as slowly as it began, the Union advance quickened and before long the Confederate lines were fully engaged in close combat with overwhelming numbers of blue uniforms. Within a span of just a few short hours, the Confederate lines had broken and a full retreat of the Army of the South had begun.
Soon the sounds of cannon and musket fire had ended and the remaining sounds were of wounded and dying men crying out for mercy and help. The local angels of mercy began their tedious task of tending to the wounded, both in blue and gray, and the surgeons knife and saw began its cruel task of amputating limbs that had been shattered in the situation.
Soon the Union forces were again organized and prepared to move once again against Confederate positions further to the east. Little more seems to be left in the fight for the south to gain here in the swamps and heat of the Florida everglades and country side. Perhaps Richmond will order what is left of this Southern Army to retreat into the North in attempt to bring relief to Robert E Lee in Virginia.
Everywhere one looks there seems to be little hope now that the government in Richmond can endure much longer and must entreat the Washington government for peaceful settlement to the current conflict.
